This is a blog about recreational hobbies that I am interested in (music, TV, movies, books). I also talk about what's on my mind or things that happen in life around me.
Please feel free to post comments; I want this to be an interactive dialogue.
If you like what you read, please share it with your friends. Thanks.

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Today (March 31st) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Keyed Up, the fifteenth studio album from country singer Ronnie Milsap. It charted at number 2 on the US Billboard Country chart and crossed over to number 36 on the US Billboard Hot 200.

The original vinyl release included ten songs, but the later US CD release cut it back to only seven for some reason (import CDs from Japan restored it to ten). For this review, I will stick to the full vinyl content.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

A year after releasing their final studio album Avalon (click here for that review), Roxy Music compiled a four song EP of live recordings from an August of 1982 show at the Apollo in Glasgow, Scotland. It charted at number 67 on the US Billboard Hot 200 and number 26 in the UK. Today we will look at the March of 1983 record The High Road in honor of its thirtieth anniversary.

Friday, March 29, 2013

Following 1982’s Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch (click here for that review), Frank Zappa returned to the studio to create The Man From Utopia. This album went to number 153 on the US Billboard Hot 200, number 87 in the UK and number 23 in Sweden. This week marks the thirtieth anniversary of its release.

The original vinyl track order and content varied a bit from the later re-release. As the norm, I will be examining the record as it first came out.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Today (March 28th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Jarreau, the sixth studio album from seven-time Grammy Award winning jazz/R&B singer Al Jarreau. This Platinum seller went to number 60 in the UK, number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 200, number 4 on the US Billboard R&B chart, and number 1 on US Jazz chart.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of No Guts… No Glory, the fifth studio album from southern rockers Molly Hatchet. This record marked the return of lead vocalist Danny Joe Brown to the Florida band’s fold. The rest of the roster this time out was Barry “B.B.” Borden on drums, Riff West on bass, and Steve Holland, Dave Hlubek and Duane Roland on guitars. This one charted at number 59 on the US Billboard Hot 200

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of One Night With a Stranger, the second studio album from English singer-songwriter Martin Briley. Prior to going solo, Briley was part of Mandrake Paddle Steamer and of Greenslade. He also worked as a session musician for Cliff Richard, Olivia Newton-John, Meat Loaf, Donna Summer, Tom Jones, Albert Hammond and more.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Today we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Legendary Hearts, the twelfth solo studio album by Lou Reed. This March of 1983 release peaked at number 159 on the US Billboard Hot 200. It features Reed on guitar and vocals, Fred Maher on drums, Robert Quine on guitar, and Fernando Saunders on bass.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

In March of 1983, Lowe released The Abominable Showman, his fourth solo studio album. Joining him on this record were Martin Belmont (guitar), Paul Carrack (keyboards and vocals), James Eller (bass) and Bobby Irwin (drums and vocals). Today we’ll take a look at the release in honor of its thirtieth anniversary.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Today (March 23rd) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Eliminator, the eighth studio album from the hard-rocking Texas band ZZ Top. Though the trio had been around for nearly a decade at this point, this record really helped widen their audience base. I know that was the case with me.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Just a little over a year after his hit album Just Another Day In Paradise (click here for that review), this month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Pirates and Poets, the second studio album from Bertie Higgins.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Today (March 21st) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the UK release of The Final Cut, the twelfth studio album from English progressive-rockers Pink Floyd. The US release of the album would come within two weeks on April 2nd of 1983. The record charted very well - number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 200, number 3 in Australia and New Zealand, and number 1 in France, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Following their fall of 1982 release If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too (click here for that review if you missed it), Mental As Anything released their fourth studio album entitled Creatures of Leisure. It went to number 37 in New Zealand and number 8 in their homeland of Australia.

To celebrate its thirtieth anniversary this month, today we will take a look at the tracks on this out-of-print International version of the record album (thanks to folks on YouTube who posted tracks for some of them).

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

In March of 1983, Van Morrison released Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, his fourteenth studio album. It charted at number 116 on the US Billboard Hot 200, number 24 in the UK, number 22 in the Netherlands, number 17 in Norway and number 4 in New Zealand. Today we give it a listen for its 30th anniversary.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Just shy of two years after the release of The Completion Backward Principle (click here for that review), the Tubes released Outside Inside, their seventh studio album. It charted at number 77 in the UK and number 18 on the US Billboard Hot 200. Once again, David Foster was at the production reigns.

Today we look at this March of 1983 release to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

Welcome to another edition of Soundtrack Sunday. And, surprise surprise, I found another film tie-in from 1982 that I completely forgot to cover last year for its thirtieth anniversary. So, let’s make up for that.

Released on March 5th of 1982, Diner was the directing debut of screenwriter Barry Levinson. The comedy-drama, set in Baltimore in December of 1959, was the story of a group of male friends who get back together for the wedding of one of the guys. The cast featured a whole slew of young actors on the verge of career breakthrough - Steve Guttenberg, Daniel Stern, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Tim Daly, Paul Reiser and Ellen Barkin.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Welcome to another edition of Seventies Saturday. This week (the 14th) was also the sixty-eighth birthday of Walter Parazaider, a founding member of the band Chicago.

In late 1982, Chicago had chart resurgence with “Hard To Say I’m Sorry” (which went to number 1) and the follow-up single “Love Me Tomorrow” (which hit number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100). In March of 1983, their label Columbia Record released a compilation album entitled If You Leave Me Now to capitalize on the new found fans.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Hailing from Bath, England, singer Pete Byrne and keyboardist Rob Fisher were both in a band called Neon (along with Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith who would go on to form Tears For Fears) before starting their own group. This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Burning Bridges, the debut album from Naked Eyes. It peaked at number 32 on the US Billboard Hot 200.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Today (March 14th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Europe, the self-titled debut album from the Swedish rock band. It charted at number 6 in their home country.

The original vinyl cover featured the line-up for the group - Joey Tempest (vocals, acoustic guitar and keyboards), John Norum (guitar and backing vocals), John Leven (bass), and Tony Reno (drums). The later CD release went with an architecture theme with angelic statues playing guitars. To be complete, I will include both with this review (though my old-school nature leans more towards the original vinyl in most cases).

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

One would have thought by 1983 that progressive rock’s heyday was behind it. The UK band Marillion did not think so at all. Following in the footsteps of early Genesis, the Moody Blues and Yes, they led the charge of a neo-progressive musical movement.

This week (March 14th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of their debut album Script For a Jester’s Tear. While it stalled at 175 on the US Billboard Hot 200, the album spent 31 weeks total on the UK charts, peaking at number 7, and eventually went on to reach Platinum sales.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Following a year after her self-titled 1982 debut (click here for that review), American singer Laura Branigan returned to the charts with the aptly titled Branigan 2 on March 14th of 1983. The album reached number 46 in Canada, number 30 in Australia, number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 200 and number 11 in New Zealand.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Today (March 11th) is the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Metal Health, the third studio album from Los Angeles heavy metal band Quiet Riot. This multi-Platinum 1983 record has the honor of being the first metal album to hold the number 1 spot on the US Billboard Hot 200. It also charted at number 5 in Canada and number 33 in New Zealand.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Can you believe I actually missed some albums from 1982 on the blog last year? Turns out, I did, but I am going to rectify things a bit with today’s edition of Soundtrack Sunday.

In the summer of 1982, The Last American Virgin hit screens across the globe. This remake of Eskimo Limon, a 1978 Israeli film, was set in present-day suburban Los Angeles and starred Lawrence Monoson, Joe Rubbo, Diane Franklin and Louisa Moritz. The film did not set the box office on fire at all (most likely due to having a cast of relatively unknown actors); it only made $5.8 million domestically.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

On April 23rd, 1979, the Swedish pop group ABBA released their sixth studio album entitled Voulez-Vous. This Platinum seller peaked at number 19 on the US Billboard Hot 200, number 6 in Canada and France, number 5 in Australia, number 2 in New Zealand, and number 1 in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Following his self-titled fourth album in 1982 (click here for the review), Rea returned to the charts with Water Sign, his fifth studio album in March of 1983. This one charted at number 64 in the UK, number 33 in the Netherlands, number 30 in Germany, number 26 in France and number 7 in Sweden.

To celebrate the record's thirtieth anniversary, I decided to include the original US vinyl cover image - just because it was kind of cool and very 80’s looking. The other versions, including the 1998 CD release, have a plain white border with a small photo in the center.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Today (March 7th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of The Hurting, the debut album from the British synthpop duo Tears For Fears. Formed in 1981, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith put out their first singles in 1982 with good response. This followed with an album which hit number 73 on the US Billboard Hot 200, number 30 in the Netherlands, number 16 in France and New Zealand, number 15 in Germany and number 1 in the UK.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

This week (March 4th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Dazzle Ships, the fourth studio album from the UK band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Like their earlier records, this one too went Gold in their native UK and reached number 5 on that charts. It also did well in the Netherlands (number 15), Germany (number 11) and New Zealand (number 10). Here in the US, it stalled at number 162 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

This week (March 4th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Thunder and Lightning, the twelfth and final studio album from the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy. The album only reached number 159 on the US Billboard Hot 200, yet it topped out at number 12 in Sweden, number 10 in Norway and number 4 in the UK.

The line-up for the record features Phil Lynott (bass and vocals), Scott Gorham (guitar and backing vocals), John Sykes (guitar and backing vocals), Darren Wharton (keyboards and backing vocals) and Brian Downey (drums).

Monday, March 4, 2013

Today (March 4th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of True, the third studio album from Spandau Ballet. It would be an understatement for me to say that I love this album. It is easily in my top three albums of my high school and college years. I most definitely will be pulling this one up on my iPod today and enjoying.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

In early 1983, a Scottish comedy-drama entitled Local Hero hit the theatres. It told the story of an American oil company representative who is sent to a small Scottish village to purchase the town and its surrounding property. The film starred Peter Riegert, Burt Lancaster, Denis Lawson and Fulton Mackay.

The accompanying soundtrack album was written and produced by Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler, which helped popularize the film with fans of the band. The record earned a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) nomination for Best Score for a Film.

Friday, March 1, 2013

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of The Closer You Get..., the fourth studio album from Alabama. Just as their 1982 album Mountain Music did, this 1983 release also went multi-Platinum. On the charts, it went to number 17 in Canada, number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 200 and number 1 on the US Billboard Country chart.